Everyone wants a yard that looks nice. That said, most of us have a limited amount of time we can spend on yard upkeep. As a result, things might get a little overgrown, or some plants might die. The result is a yard that looks less than impressive.
If you are having these issues, you might want to consider making some landscaping choices to take the work out of yard care. With the right designs, you can significantly cut the amount of time you need to spend outside working in the yard. Along with that, many of these ideas can also help you save on water and other resources. That means you get a yard that looks good, requires less work, and is more sustainable.
What can you do to achieve these goals in your yard? Read on to find out!
Reduce the Size of Your Grass Lawn
One of the first tips is to reduce the amount of grass you have in your yard. That green carpet might look nice, but it requires so much work to maintain. You have to get out there to mow it frequently, or it will quickly get overgrown. Most lawns also require a significant amount of work as it concerns seeding, fertilizing, and watering.
Get rid of as much grass as possible to cut down on this work. There are many ways you can do this. You could expand garden beds or build more hardscape features. You could also replace grass with rocks or a different form of ground cover. Many homeowners are switching to artificial turf to cut down on yard work.
Mulch for Moisture Retention
Laying down some mulch can do a lot to reduce work in your yard. Most notably, it reduces the need for watering by helping the soil retain moisture. It can also suppress weeds and add nutrients to the soil. Mulch can also prevent surface erosion during heavy rains. It is also fairly versatile. You can use it in garden beds or around trees. You could also use mulch to reduce the size of your lawn in some areas.
Use Landscaping Rocks
Landscaping rocks can also do a lot to help you create a low-maintenance yard. You could use rocks to replace the grass lawn in some areas. You also have many different colors to create different looks in the yard. As you might imagine, rocks don’t require much maintenance. Once you have them in place, you don’t need to do anything to care for them.
When talking to a company that sells landscape rock in Phoenix, they said, “Landscaping rock can be a game-changer for creating an attractive, low-maintenance yard. Along with that, they suppress weeds, retain moisture, prevent erosion, and offer creative design options like pathways and rock gardens.”
Remove Your Pool or Water Features
Pools, ponds, and other water features can be nice, but they require a lot of work to maintain. If you want to spend less time working out in the yard, you need to get rid of them. Along with the work, you also have all the water they use and the chemicals that go into maintaining the water. Once you remove these features, you can open the space for other purposes that might be more useful.
Consider More Hardscaping
Hardscaping can be your best friend when you’re trying to design a low-maintenance yard. It can be a great solution to reducing the amount of grass you have in your yard. You could also use hardscaping to create more functional space. For example, you could build an outdoor kitchen and dining area.
You have several options for hardscaping your outdoor space. Patios, walkways, and retaining walls can be nice features. You could build a deck off the back of your house. Structures like gazebos and pergolas can also be attractive hardscape features.
Switch to Native Plants
One mistake many of us make is to design our yards in a way that creates a struggle against nature. We use plants that are not native to the climate, so we spend so much time working to keep them alive. Instead of fighting against the local ecosystem, you should lean into its strengths. Learn about the native plants in your state and consider ways to incorporate them into your landscape. In most cases, these plants will be healthier and require less work.
Try Container Gardening
Hardscaping is a good option, but it often results in replacing vegetation with materials like concrete, stone, metal, and wood. It will make your yard easier to maintain, and it can look good. However, you might still want some plant life and color in the areas of the yard with hardscaping. The solution to this is to use a little container gardening.
You have a lot of options for container gardening. For example, you could place potted plants on patios or decks to add a little life to those areas. Containers also come in different designs, materials, and colors to offer more style options. You could also build window boxes on your house or garden boxes that could line the outside of your deck’s railing.
All of these solutions will require some work to adapt to the yard, but it is worth it. Once you have implemented some of these ideas, you’ll have a yard that requires less work to maintain. Additionally, it can reduce the money and resources that go into yard maintenance.
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